


Mother Knows Best

by melagan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alien Technology, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27599224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melagan/pseuds/melagan
Summary: An alien device has Rodney trapped in its grasp. To save him, John has to figure out what it wants.*
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Comments: 22
Kudos: 74
Collections: What If? AU Challenge





	Mother Knows Best

The clay-colored sphere rolled into the lab followed by Dr. Sims. Sims, a lanky forty-something with a bad combover and a know-it-all attitude, proudly announced, "This is what I was talking about, Dr. McKay."

"You brought it here? I told you to leave it where it was until I could make sure it was safe!"

Sims snorted. "This thing looks like the ugliest beach ball ever designed. How dangerous could it be? You're always going on about how we shouldn't touch the new discoveries. We all know you just want the credit all for yourself."

Rodney sighed. "It's here now. Move your skinny ass somewhere I don't have to see it while I check it—ack!"

"Colonel Sheppard," Radek yelled into the intercom. "Emergency in Lab Six. There is a device that has attacked Dr. McKay."

"On my way! Beckett, did you hear that?" John asked.

"Aye, Colonel. I'll meet you there."

Rodney didn't hear anything further coming from the intercom. Sheppard was on his way. That's what mattered. If anyone could get him down from here, it would be John. 

He couldn't move but damn it hurt. "Radek, do something!"

"I would but the device will not let us get closer. Perhaps you should not have aggravated it. Hanging like pinata pinned to the wall is not a good look for you."

"Gee, thanks. I'm sorry my agony lacks savior faire. I'll try to do better next time." He drew in a shaky breath. "How much longer before John gets here?"

"I'm here, Rodney." John came skidding into the room. "What the hell is that?"

"We found it in one of the rooms below the East tower." Radek glared at Sims. "Was not supposed to be moved until Rodney or I had checked it out."

John pulled his sidearm ready to shoot the device if had to. "What's it doing to Rodney?"

Rodney met John's gaze, unable to hide the pain on his face. "I barely touched it when this damn cable slithered out of that thing. It wrapped itself around my ribs and pushed me against the wall hard enough that I heard something crack. Now it won't let go."

"Be careful," Radek warned. It seems remarkably responsive to the ATA gene." 

"I figured. Just tell me, will it help if I shoot it?" John asked.

"I do not advise it," Radek said. "That might cause it to tighten its hold on Rodney."

"I thought it was harmless!" Sims babbled. "How the hell was I supposed to know that cable thing would erupt from it and turn on Dr. McKay?"

"Do you have anything else to add, Dr. Sims?" John asked. "No? Then I suggest you go back to the place you found this as look for directions to turn it off."

To Rodney's enjoyment, Sims took one look at John's face, paled, and abruptly left. Good riddance. 

Carson came running into the lab and skidded to a halt. "Rodney, what have you got yourself into, lad?" 

"Easy, doc." John motioned for Carson to stay back. "We don’t know what triggered this device or if it will attack someone else."

"I need to see my patient, Colonel Sheppard. Look at him. A blind man could see that Rodney's having trouble breathing."

"I think it's my ribs, Carson." Rodney wheezed, trying and failing to take a deep breath. "John's right. You need to keep your distance. Every time someone gets close this damn cable gets tighter."

He stopped to catch his breath before adding, "Radek, run a scan. You need to make sure…."

"I know, Rodney. I have already begun to scan the system for viruses. Nothing has shown up yet."

"Whoa, back up a minute. Is this thing Wraith? Because it's going to be a lot harder to purge a virus from an entire city than it was the Daedalus." John hadn't enjoyed the experience then and he sure as hell didn’t want to go through it again.

Radek shrugged. "Unlikely, but I do not know for sure."

"Great, John groaned. Just what we needed." 

Rodney might spare him some sympathy, but he was feeling fairly screwed himself right now. All he could do was hang on while Carson paced just out of range of the device nearly wringing his hands in frustration, and Radek looked overwhelmed.

If he could just think, he could figure a way out of this. "Check with the SGC. Something like this happened to O'Neill. Besides, it can't hurt to get Sam's help on this," Rodney suggested. 

"Elizabeth is on it, but it might take awhile." John met his eyes and shook his head. "Sorry." 

Just great. Now John blamed himself for not pulling an instant answer out of his ass. If—when he got of this, they were going to have a chat about unreasonable expectations. 

What else? There must be something…. God, it was hard to breathe. Wide, blue, fucking skies…. He pinched his eyes shut. Briefly. It only makes things worse.

"Rodney, it's making beeping noises," John aimed his sidearm at the device.

"Wait!" Radek jumped up from behind his bank of computers. "Is code! Moment—one moment—there! I have begun running it through a translation program."

The intercom squawked. Squeaky, unintelligible noises came through the speakers. Radek must have tweaked the program because suddenly a mechanical, robotic voice took over. 

_Help me_

*

There was nothing about this damn situation John liked. Rodney was trapped and hurting. An alien device that might or might not be Alteran had taken over the lab, they didn't have control of the situation, and he still couldn't shoot anything.

The device, which he dubbed Chad, kept repeating its call for help on a twenty-second loop. So far no one had a clue as to what kind of help it wanted. At least McKay was breathing easier. 

Once John had made all non-essential personnel leave, Chad had lightened its death grip. It still had Rodney pinned to the wall, but John had an idea. Since humans agitated good ol' Chad, maybe there was something else they could do. 

He tapped his com. "Major Lorne. Continue to keep non-essentials out of the lab, but send in a M.A.L.P." 

Rodney lifted his head. "What are you doing?"

"I had an idea. Your over-eager, mechanical friend seems to have a problem communicating with people so I thought it might talk to another robot."

"M.A.L.P.s aren't programmed for that! You can't just turn them into…unless…. Get Radek on the radio. Have him upload the linguistics' program I've been working on. He'll know the one. He'll have to upgrade the memory and tie it into a non-networked computer equipped with speakers, but that's simple enough as long as he remembers to…." Rodney's voice trailed off. 

"McKay! Rodney, this is no time to pass out. C'mon, buddy." 

"Still here, Sheppard. But if you could hurry…."

"Radek!" John yelled, get the M.A.L.P in here, now!"

"It's on its way. Excuse me, Colonel Sheppard, but I must be there in the lab to finish the process."

"Fine. Just hurry. Sheppard out." 

Radek was true to his word. He showed up with the M.A.L.P within five minutes. John's hand flexed over his sidearm as he drew on his remaining patience. "How much longer?"

"Is done." Radek directed the M.A.L.P toward Chad while John felt too damn helpless just standing around waiting.

Slowly, the M.A.L.P moved toward the device. As soon as it came within two meters, Chad retracted the cable pinning Rodney to the wall, letting him drop and fall to the floor. It rolled over to the M.A.L.P, it's attention clearly focused on this new entry. 

John ran over to Rodney. "McKay!" He gave him a gentle shake and was rewarded by an unhappy scowl. It was the best thing he'd seen all day. He helped Rodney get to his feet with every intention of taking him straight to the infirmary.

"Wait," Rodney said. "What's going on?"

"I think Chad over there is trying to get it on with its new robotic friend."

"The M.A.L.P? Seriously? And, you named the alien device Chad? Of course, you did."

Rodney sounded so much like himself that relief burst in John's chest. "C'mon let's get you to Carson.

He should have spoken sooner because that's when the computer display lit up.

"Wait. Is that…that's a map of Atlantis." Rodney clung to John's arm and at the same time dug his heels in. John sighed. As long as something interesting was going on Rodney wouldn't budge. 

"East tower, lower level, third quadrant. Approximately two kilometers from here," Radek announced. "We have not explored there yet."

John looked from Radek to the map and back to Chad. The way it had wound its cable around the M.A.L.P it looked like either it had found a long-lost friend or about to begin some freaky, robot copulating right here on the lab floor. He cleared his throat. "Looks like we're going exploring."

It took a good ten minutes to arrange. Meanwhile, Carson dragged Rodney off to the infirmary under protest. McKay could be the whiniest son-of-a-bitch over a silly splinter, but give him an unsolved mystery and the promise of Ancient tech and he'd fight to take it on—injured or not.

Lorne took charge of the M.A.L.P and John managed to convey their intent to Chad via the linguistics program. Gradually, they managed to get both devices rolling out the door. 

The M.A.L.P/Chad combo wasn't going to fit into a transporter, and John hadn't yet figured out how they were going to travel the entire distance. He was still pondering that that little problem about when his radio chirped. 

"McKay to Sheppard. Head to the jumper bay. Lorne's going to meet you there. He'll transport you over to the tower section and drop you off."

"Thanks, Rodney." That was one problem solved. The rest would have to wait until they reached their destination.

The trip by jumper to the East tower took less than two minutes. Unfortunately, it had taken much longer than that just to get to the jumper bay. The M.A.L.P's top speed left something to be desired, but they'd finally arrived. 

John sent Lorne ahead and followed behind, ready to shoot the shit out of Chad if it tried any funny business. As they approached the target zone, John spotted Rodney waiting for them at the entrance. 

"McKay? How did you get here? And aren't you supposed to be in the infirmary?"

Rodney pulled up his shirt high enough for John to get a peek at his purpling ribcage. "Good news, they're bruised not broken. I convinced Carson to let me go back to my room. This is a—call it a detour. As for how I got here? I took a transporter. You didn't think I was going to let you have all the fun without me?"

John grinned back, unable to do anything else in the face of Rodney's enthusiasm. "Just stay behind me while we figure this out."

Cautiously, Lorne maneuvered the M.A.L.P into the large, windowless room with Chad still clinging to it. 

"Lab?" John asked.

"More likely storage," Rodney responded. "Notice the lack of consoles." Slowly he wandered around the room mostly managing to stick to John's heels.

Wedged into one corner, a large, wide cabinet lay toppled over on its side with one of its doors askew. "Watch your step," John cautioned, keeping his body between Chad and Rodney.

Chad let go of the M.A.L.P and rolled over to the cabinet. It began banging into it with no purpose that John could see. 

"There's something behind it, sir," Lorne said. "Something that alien ball really wants to get to. I could use the M.A.L.P's robotic arm to move the cabinet out of the way, but are we sure that's a good idea?"

John chanced a look with Rodney and received a beady gleam of curiosity for his trouble. Right, his call. "Do it."

Slowly, the cabinet was pushed out of the way to reveal a dozen amber, crystalline eggs. It didn't take a genius to know they must have rolled behind it at some point. They seemed harmless enough, but John wasn't going to poke any to find out.

Chad made squeaky, cooing noises and used its cable to gather up the eggs. One by one, it tucked them into its round body.

"Did you see that, Sheppard?" Rodney gasped. "It just absorbed the eggs through what's obviously a passive saturation interface." 

"Oh, obviously." 

Rodney started to move in for a closer look and John pulled him back. Ignoring them, Chad rolled over to one corner of the room and appeared to shut itself down. 

"Now what?" Lorne asked.

Rodney shrugged. "I have no idea. My best guess is that it achieved its primary function as—I suppose incubator isn't quite the right word. Mother hen?"

John glanced at Rodney and smirked. "You broke the first rule of the jungle. Never get in the way of a mother and its young."

"Har-har, very funny."

"C'mon, you've had enough excitement for one day." He gently pushed Rodney towards the door. 

"I could bring in a team of scientists…." Rodney offered.

"Not going to happen." John shook his head and sighed. "Enough. Lorne seal this room off. I'll have Dr. Weir assign a team to search the database. I want to know what this thing is. And—you—you're going straight to your room to get some rest."

"But…but…." Rodney tried to pull away.

"No. If those really are eggs, one day they're going to hatch." John watched as the color drained from Rodney's face. 

"Oh. Right. I guess it could wait. We don't know if or what…. Huh." 

Suspicious, John narrowed his eyes. "What!?" 

"I was just thinking we could get Chuck to set up a betting pool. You know, for what might hatch and when."

"McKay! Go!" Shaking his head, John followed him. Someone had to be certain the stubborn idiot got safely back to his room.

* 

Later….

John carefully checked out each and every bruise, leaving soft kisses behind as he worked. 

"We survived another crisis," a drowsy Rodney muttered as he patted John's hair.

"We did. And we should have some answers soon." With one final kiss, John snuggled down beside Rodney.

"Sure, as soon as the linguists can crack the database. Don't hold your breath." Rodney warned.

"Right. Hey, Rodney? Do you really think those amber things were some type of egg? Like the hatchable kind?"

"No. Maybe? Go to sleep, John. It's been a long day for both of us." Rodney settled his head on John's shoulder with a contented sigh.

"Right. One more question. What are the odds those eggs could hatch into baby dragons?"

*


End file.
